Piper's SongbookHow to play Greensleeves on recorder
Greensleeves uses 11 notes on the soprano recorder: B, A, G, high C, high D, F♯, low E, high E, high G, G♯ and high F♯. The first line goes A C′ D′ E′ F♯′ E′ D′ B G A B C′ A A G♯ A B G♯ E A.
- Notes
- 11: B, A, G, high C, high D, F♯, low E, high E, high G, G♯, high F♯
- Level
- Cross fingerings
- Time
- 3/4, about 96 beats a minute
- Source
- England, c. 1580
Greensleeves recorder notes with letters
Each box is one note, with its fingering underneath: filled holes are covered, a half-filled hole is half covered or pinched. Wider boxes are longer notes. A ′ mark means the higher octave, so D′ is high D. Bar lines are drawn as thin rules.
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
Letters only, for printing or copying
- A | C′ D′ | E′ F♯′ E′ | D′ B | G A B | C′ A | A G♯ A | B G♯ | E A
- C′ D′ | E′ F♯′ E′ | D′ B | G A B | C′ B A | G♯ F♯ G♯ | A | E
- G′ | G′ F♯′ E′ | D′ B | G A B | C′ A | A G♯ A | B G♯ | E
- G′ | G′ F♯′ E′ | D′ B | G A B | C′ B A | G♯ F♯ G♯ | A | A
Sheet music
Written pitch for soprano recorder, which sounds an octave higher. Press play to hear it on a recorder sound; the slow setting plays at 60% speed.
Fingerings for the notes in Greensleeves
Hole 0 is the thumb hole on the back. Holes 1 to 3 are for the left hand, 4 to 7 for the right. These are Baroque (English) fingerings.
How to practise it
Greensleeves needs G♯, high F♯ and high G. The chorus opens on high G held for a full bar: pinch the thumb, then keep the air steady so the note doesn't crack.
Learn one line at a time. Play it slowly until every note is clean, then join it to the next line.
About the tune
Registered in London in September 1580 as "A Newe Northen Dittye of ye Ladye Greene Sleves". The story that Henry VIII wrote it has no evidence behind it.
Questions
Is Greensleeves easy on recorder?
It is an intermediate piece. It uses cross fingerings or half holes, so learn those notes on their own first.
What notes do you need for Greensleeves on recorder?
B, A, G, high C, high D, F♯, low E, high E, high G, G♯ and high F♯. Tap a note to see its fingering on its own page.
Do these fingerings work on a German recorder?
Mostly. F♯ and high F♯ are fingered differently on a German recorder; the diagrams above are Baroque, and the linked note pages show both. A recorder whose hole 4 is smaller than hole 5 is Baroque.
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Notes checked against the Piper's Songbook transcription, compared against two or more independent sources. Last checked 6 October 2026.